1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to methods for embolizing blood vessels which methods are particularly suited for treating vascular lesions. In these methods, a non-particulate agent such as a metal coil is introduced into a vascular site (e.g., an aneurysm cavity) in conjunction with an embolizing composition comprising a biocompatible polymer and a biocompatible solvent.
The biocompatible solvent is miscible or soluble in blood and also solubilizes the polymer during delivery. The biocompatible polymer is selected to be soluble in the biocompatible solvent but insoluble in blood. Upon contact with the blood, the biocompatible solvent dissipates from the embolic composition whereupon the biocompatible polymer precipitates. Precipitation of the polymer in the presence of the non-particulate agent permits the agent to act as a structural lattice for the growing polymer precipitate.
2. References
The following publications are cited in this application as superscript numbers:
______________________________________ .sup.1 Castaneda-Zuniga, et al., Interventional Radiology , in Vascular Embolotherapy, Part 1, 1:9-32, Williams & Wilkins, Publisher s (1992) .sup. 2 Hopkins, et al., "Endovascular Treatment of Aneurysms and Cerebral Vasospasms", in "Current Management of Cerebral Aneurysms", Am. Assoc. Neuro. Surgeons, A. Awad, Editor, Chapter II, pp. 219-242 (1993). .sup.3 Pruvo, et al., "Endovascular Treatment of 16 Intracranial Aneurysms with Microcoils", Neuroradiology, 33(suppl):S144 (Abstract) (1991). .sup.4 Mandai, et al., "Direct Thrombosis of Aneurysms with Cellulose Acetate Polymer", J Neurosurg., 77:497-500 (1992) .sup.5 Kinugasa, et al., "Direct Thrombosis of Aneurysms with Cellulose Acetate Polymer", J. Neurosurg., 77:501-507 (1992) .sup. 6 Casarett and Doull's Toxicology, Amdur et al., Editors, Pergamon Press, New York, pp. 661-664 (1975) .sup.7 Greff, et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/507,863 for "Novel Compositions for Use in Embolizing Blood Vessels", filed July 27, 1995 .sup.8 Greff, et al., U.S. patent applicanon Ser. No. 08/508,248 for "Cellulose Diacetate Compositions for Use in Embolizing Blood Vessels", filed July 27, 1995 .sup.9 Kinugasa, et al., "Early Treatment of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage After Preventing Rerupture of an Aneurysm", J. Neurosurg., 83:34-41 (1995) .sup.10 Kinugasa, et al., "Prophylactic Thrombosis to Prevent New Bleeding and to Delay Aneurysm Surgery", Neurosurg., 36:661 (1995) .sup.11 Taki, et al., "Selection and Combination of Various Endovascular Techniques in the Treatment of Giant Aneurysms", J. Neurosurg., 77:37-42 (1992) .sup.12 German, et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 250:104-106 (1954) .sup. 13 Rabinowitz, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,527,224, for "Method of Surgically Bonding Tissue Together", issued 9/8/70 .sup. 14 Hawkins, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,676, for "Surgical Adhesive Compositions", issued 7/6/71 ______________________________________
All of the above references are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each individual reference was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.